Nevermore
by RubyFiamma
Summary: An a/u in which mystical creatures and humans live in a somewhat coexistence. Hayato is a small boy when his mother passes away but she has always told him about a mystical world outside their kingdom walls and he's determined to explore it.
1. The Lost Boy & The Raven

**Nevermore**

**Notes :**

New story, sorry... This is what happens when you go on hiatus because you have writer's block for the nth amount of WIPs you have glaring at you from your pc and suddenly you get the urge to write and it's a whole new chapter fic that's got nothing to do with your other works in progress.

**Pairing :** Yamamoto Takeshi / Gokudera Hayato  
><strong>Rated :<strong> R18  
><strong>Warnings :<strong> Major character injury, minor character death, mild angst, swearing, graphic depictions of violence, fairy tale narrative, medieval language use as well as modern language use, timeskips, smut

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or the characters thereof. Rights reserved, Akira Amano.

The title for this fic is a play off Edgar Allen Poe's "_**The Raven**_".

All original characters belong to me.

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><p><strong>The Lost Boy and The Raven<strong>

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><p>When Hayato was just a little boy, the world seemed like a very large place. Beyond his castle was vast, open space with rolling green hills as far as the eye could see. He spent most of his days out on his balcony watching the sun rise and set over the horizon and often wondered what life was like beyond those clouds.<p>

You see, the world Hayato lives in is a very curious place, for there are creatures that roam the earth with wings and hooves and scales and best of all, _magic_.

He's never seen one of these mystical beasts up close but his mother, the Queen of their kingdom, used to tell him bed time stories about dragons and faeries and griffins and giants and many, many more. They'd leave him to dream of one day leaving his castle walls to venture out into those valleys where he might find a dragon or two, perhaps a mighty griffin or a faerie to grant whatever his heart's true desire.

But that was before his mother fell ill, and Hayato was bound to her side and never quite understood; if the world was full of magic, then why couldn't it be used to save his mother? He wanted to go out and find something, _anything _that would save her but he was only a small boy. There wasn't much he could do without someone there to help him.

His father, the King, warned him about leaving the castle, he was bitter and angry and told Hayato that no such thing like _magic _or fairy tales existed for the world was a very dark and cruel place. He needed to steer clear of the fortified walls where curiosity would bring nothing but strife and it was because his mother was naïve, that she fell into such a state. Evil and pain and suffering was all that awaited Hayato if he continued to be eluded by such nonsense.

And so, Hayato watched his mother take her last breath with a smile but not before reminding him that he must never forget that he has a beautiful heart and that the world is just as beautiful and that when it was his time to become King, he must remember to keep peace between the kingdoms and unite the races so that tranquility would remain throughout the world. Then she was gone. Hayato had never felt so alone.

Unfortunately, time was not kind to Hayato and in the years that past, his father moved on to marry a very wicked woman who brought along with her a hag of a daughter to be his new stepsister. The woman treated him with cruelty while his father turned a blind eye; to sorrowful and hollow, carved out for losing his one and only true love. And his sister was mean and jealous, for Hayato was a fair and beautiful boy and a _real _prince; born straight from two lines of royal lineage. She tried many times to cut his hair or poison him because all she saw was competition, when all he saw - all he _wanted__ - _was a companion.

The news soon traveled fast throughout the castle, Hayato overheard the maids talking, of a plan to search for the mystic creatures and capture any one his father's men could find. Hayato's stepmother wanted to harness all of their magic and use it to rule the kingdom. She was a tyrant and Hayato's father was too indifferent to oppose. It would bring chaos to the peace between worlds but Hayato resolved to do something about it. A world coined beautiful by his kind and gentle mother would not be tarnished by the hands of ill intended villains.

Hayato was eight when he devised to leave the castle for he could not take the suffering, the lies and the torture any longer. If he were to feel this lonely, he'd rather do it within a place his mother loved and that was the stretch beyond these barren walls. He would warn the creatures of his stepmother's plan.

He left in the dead of night with only four rolls of stale bread and a canteen full of water in his makeshift sack. He did not need anything else. If magic truly existed, he would find it and somehow find a way to harness it. He would do good and live a life his mother would have wanted. It did not discourage him that he was only a boy because his mother had always taught him to have faith in himself, for he could do anything he set his powerful mind to.

He escaped and took his first step toward freedom and it tasted like victory. With his head held high, he embarked on his journey toward Namimori Forest, where his mother told him several species of winged creatures lived, high in the branches of the sycamore trees.

It took him five agonising days to reach the border of the forest and by then he was exhausted. He had to hide from the King's men, got lost along the way and he ran out of food on the third day, no longer able to fight the hunger to preserve his rations. His feet were sore and legs bloodied, having climbed over jagged rocks and falling down some in his quest to reach the forest before he was captured. His silver hair was clotted with clods of dirt from sleeping in burrowed holes in the ground luckily just large enough to accommodate his tiny frame. His face was sunken and ashen and heavy rings encircled his green eyes dimming their lustre. He was so very tired of running and finally reaching his goal made an euphoric elation course through his small body. However, it was too much of a powerful surge of emotion for such a weakened boy to handle and he lost consciousness right at the mouth of the forest.

When he awoke, he instantaneously felt like he was floating. His heart beat fast and he remembers feeling scared. The air was thin around him, and cold but it somehow felt refreshing. He heard something slice through the air, soft but large in scale and he was aware of something warm around him, pressed into him and holding him tightly. He tried opening his eyes to get a better look, perhaps he was dreaming or better yet in the heavens where is mother awaited his arrival. Except the air became much too thin and he struggled to catch his breath. He felt his lungs tighten and his throat close and sudden pressure in his head. It felt like he was ballooning, like the oxygen inside him was ready to burst out because it had no where to go.

He remembers crying out and the faint sound of a voice that sounded grief stricken and surprised before he felt the rush of wind burn his cheeks and he was suddenly descending rapidly from wherever he had been before. A fluid wave of anxiety flushed him because he didn't know what was happening, all he had was this feeling of _falling__. _But the arms around him held tighter and the _whoosh__, __whoosh__! _sound of something flapping in the wind eased his anxiety somehow and Hayato then realised he was losing control of alertness again. The abrupt switch in pressure made Hayato feel nauseous and dizzy and just like he had only moments ago, he slipped into unconsciousness.

When the small boy awoke, his head was throbbing and his throat was dry and tight. It took a while for his vision to swim into focus and when it did, he didn't recognise his surroundings. He was no longer outside of the forest, he wasn't outside _at __all__._

Hayato used what was left of his strength to hoist himself into a sitting position. He groggily scanned the dim lit room and blinked several times, soaking in his environment.

It looked like a wooden shack, with large planks of knotted pine forming it's structure. The items here were minimalistic, Hayato observed. He had been placed on a makeshift bed of wide palm leaves and straw and to his surprise, it was comfortable. The blanket used to cover him was ratty and tattered, perhaps once made of fluffy sheep's wool. There was a single table made of twigs and twine on which stood a single glass jar. It's contents made Hayato's round eyes go wide, for it was his first look at the beauty this world had to offer.

Inside the jar were dozens of glittering and glowing creatures; too tiny to be fireflies. The light they radiated was an iridescent spectacle of blues, yellows and purples. They illuminated the space in a soft ambient radiance and the colours danced lively on the wooden walls. It reminded Hayato of twinkling stars on a clear summer's night only this was far, far better.

He wanted to get up and take a look but he was doubtful his frail body could withstand his weight at the moment. But, seeing his canteen next to the jar of light creatures gave him all the ambition he needed to rise out of the makeshift cot and stumble over to the table. He grabbed the canteen and praised whatever gods that were looking out for him that it was full and he gulped down the water greedily. He choked at first but caught his breath and wiped the wetness from his mouth with a grimy hand.

He was about to examine the jar when he heard a swooping sound coming from outside. He didn't want to investigate, he was alone and a little scared but he was just as curious. He took one cautionary step at a time until he was outdoors and let out a small cry when he realised he was standing on a rickety planked porch high above the ground. He grasped the door frame for support and glanced up at the sky.

Hayato saw a shrouded black figure approaching and he shrank back into the shack, the first time feeling fear instead of excitement since leaving his castle.

The figure was shaped like a human, bigger than he and the creature in the sky had the largest wings Hayato had ever seen before. No bird he could think to compare the wing span to, no creature could he think of that would even come close to describing the thing in the sky.

Hayato squeezed his eyes shut as the figure flew closer, his stomach twisting in knots as the wings slicing through air got louder and louder. He waited for the impending doom, cursing himself for being such an idiot. Hayato longed for adventure and to not feel so alone but he hadn't thought this one quite through. What if there were human eating creatures in this forest? What if this bird-like human wanted to eat him? What if-

"Hey there, little guy!"

Hayato froze, his heart stopped and he gripped the wood so hard his fingers hurt.

"Ah, don't be scared! I won't hurt you, I promise."

The creature's voice was smooth and calming, a male's voice but not too old or rough. He didn't sound threatening at all, in fact Hayato could almost see a smile through his words even though he had no idea what this thing was. Curiosity trumped his fear and Hayato cracked open an eye.

It was hard to see in the dark and Hayato squinted but couldn't see anything, just an outline. Then suddenly the porch was bathed in pale light as a darkened cloud unearthed the waxing moon. The moonlight cast over the figure who stood tall, perched on the rickety railing that surrounded the tree house.

The first thing Hayato noticed were his wings. They were large, so _large _and shiny black, rich and glossy, like a wings of a crow. Sharp looking feathers overlapped each other intricately, yet they looked soft enough to touch. They were folded lazily, non threatening and lax but they were spread at least ten feet across. The feathers that touched the surface of the wood splayed out gracefully, they came to sharp, curved points at the bottom.

Hayato's eyes trailed up to the creature's face and the next thing Hayato noticed were the bird-boy's eyes. They were exotic, that's for sure, unlike any other eye colour Hayato has ever seen before. And his hair, it matched the colour of his wings. It was black and sharp; a bit unruly, jutting out in sharp angles that reminded Hayato of monstrous bed hair. His skin was darker than Hayato's, for his was fair and milky and this boy's skin looked like it had been kissed by the sun and that made sense, seeing how this boy was a bird and birds have the freedom to soar high in the sky and -

"Are you okay?" the bird-boy asked. He smiled and Hayato's heart fluttered excitedly.

"Where am I?"

"Haha, this is my house. It's not much but I thought you'd be safe here."

Hayato glanced around him at the other tall trees and saw no other tree houses, no other lights in the forest. He was alone, just him and this creature.

"A-are you a... U-U.M.A?" Hayato gasped in awe. He didn't leave the sanctity of the door frame but his fingers itched to touch the razor sharp feathers just to test if they were as dangerous as they looked.

The bird-boy laced a hand behind his neck and laughed. "An U.M.A? I'm not sure I even know what that is."

Hayato pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. Stupid bird. "It's an Unidentified Mystical Animal. Are you making fun of me?"

The boy's grin slid from his mouth and his eyes widened slightly. "N-no! I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you! I uh... I just don't know what that is. But in any case, I suppose I'm not unidentified, since I know what I am."

He grinned again and Hayato felt suspiciously annoyed. He was fascinated by this bird-boy, being he was the first creature he's ever set eyes on but he thought that magical creatures would be more... well, majestic. This one might have been, if he had kept his mouth closed. But alas, Hayato wasn't here to make enemies, even if the bird-boy seemed kind of stupid, he needed a friend. Someone to show him around Namimori forest and take him to the leader; someone he could warn about his stepmother's encroaching raid on the mystical beasts.

Hayato bit his lip and toed the wooden floor. He was nervous and excited about this adventure, but surely he'd have to step up and be the man his mother had wanted him to be.

His thoughts were abruptly derailed when he was suddenly face to face with the older boy, having jumped off the railing and invaded his personal space within an instant. His head was cocked to the side in a manner which reminded Hayato very much of the avian species and he looked bewildered and wonderstruck, his eyes shone with excitement. The boy lifted a hand and grasped a lock of Hayato's silver hair between his fingertips and parted his full lips with an awed gasp of his own. Hayato's heart thrummed rapidly in his chest, like a hummingbird's wings and he drew in a deep breath, afraid to move a muscle more.

"What are you?" the bird-boy asked, bemused.

The proximity of their faces was too close and Hayato's lungs felt tight again. His cheeks flared with heat and he quickly took a step back. "I-I'm h-human," he stuttered. "H-haven't you ever seen a human before?"

The other boy's eyes widened with amazement. "You're a... _human?_"

"Yes, I just said that. Haven't you ever seen one before?" Hayato repeated haughtily.

"Of course I've seen humans before!" the bird-boy exclaimed. "But I've never seen such a pretty one, haha!" He smiled so wide that Hayato thought he'd split his face open.

Hayato's nose wrinkled in disdain. "I am a boy, you know," he quipped indignantly. "Boys aren't supposed to be pretty."

The bird-boy raised his hands in defense and he let out a hearty laugh. "Sorry, sorry! You're just... Unlike any human I've ever seen before. You're pretty amazing."

Hayato caught his tongue before he nearly replied that he too, was pretty amazing. "Wh-what are saying?" he snorted. "I'm just an ordinary boy. Don't say such ridiculous things."

"Haha, sorry."

They fell into an awkward silence until Hayato touched the boy's shoulder, daring to inch a little further and feel the texture of his wings but the fear of over stepping some sort of boundry kept him at bay and he quickly withdrew his hand.

"What are you, then?"

The older boy grinned wider, stood and instantly fanned out his wings. They caught the wind and made a loud _whoosh__! _as they parted. Hayato's eyes widened as the boy stretched his wings out as far as they could reach and he guessed that each wing spanned at least five feet across. They weren't just large, they were _humongous_.

"W-wow," he uttered quietly, watching as the bird-boy smile at him.

"I," the boy began, puffing out his chest, "am a Ravenite. All of us have these wings, see? They flap like this _whoosh __whoosh__, __swoop__s woo_p and sometimes when I go really fast they flap like _schwing __schwing__, __scheww __scheww__!_"

Hayato arched a silver brow. Whatever the boy was trying to describe to him made absolutely no sense at all. But he guessed that was the way Ravenites or whatever talked. He expected to have some language barriers meeting new races.

"What's your name?" Hayato asked, creeping back out on to the porch of the tree house.

The bird-boy folded his wings against his back and stuck a thumb to his chest. "I'm Takeshi, son of Tsuyoshi of the Asari clan," he replied cheerily. "How about you?"

Hayato stilled for a moment. He wondered who he should introduce himself as, because maybe the boy had already heard of his wicked stepmother and that might make Takeshi afraid of who he was. He frowned. He didn't like the sound of that. Giving it a second thought though, he realised that if he wanted to gain Takeshi and the rest of the forest creatures' trust, then he shouldn't come off with a lie first thing. Takeshi seemed older and proud, and maybe even a little brave (although his bravado could pass as just sheer stupidity, Hayato briefly thought) so he just might be able to handle the truth.

"I-I am... Hayato, s-son of Xalvador and the h-heir to the throne o-of Olandria," he said quietly.

"Ha... yato," Takeshi murmured, rolling the syllables off his tongue. "Son of..." Takeshi's eyes widened with revelation and he stiffened, taking a deep and clumsy bow. "S-sorry, my lord. I didn't recognise thee-"

Hayato groaned with embarrassment. "I'm only eight. There's no need for all that formal stuff. That's for the stuffy grownups."

Takeshi cracked an eye, still bent in an awkward bow. "Are you testing me, my lord?"

Hayato reached over and flicked the boy in the forehead. "Listen, bird brain -"

"Haha, ow!" Takeshi stood and rubbed the centre of his forehead. "You sure are cruel for such a little boy."

"I'm not that little," Hayato retorted sourly. "Don't go changing your tone just because you've heard of my father."

Takeshi smiled. "Okay, sorry. I will call you as Hayato, of Olandria."

"Good," Hayato agreed tiredly. "I do not wish to be associated with that man."

Takeshi nodded at once. "You must be hungry. When I found you, you were outside the forest in a slumber. Except when I tried waking you, you wouldn't open your eyes. Maybe you were unconscious then, from hunger and exhaustion? Are you lost? You're pretty far away from your kingdom."

Hayato couldn't ignore the raw hunger that clawed at his stomach. He didn't want to trust the bird-boy, Takeshi, just yet but it seemed like he had no other choice. It was either this or starve to death, and he was sure that wasn't a fate his mother wanted for him. He ignored the other questions and nodded in assent, stepping away from the doorway to allow Takeshi to enter the shack.

"I am... a little hungry."

"Good," Takeshi beamed. "I laid out some food for you earlier, but I guess you didn't see it, haha. Come inside!" He urged Hayato in first with the waving on his hand and a reassuring grin.

Hayato turned and cautiously walked back into the treehouse and Takeshi followed. He still felt lethargic and still wanted to be admonitory, but the excitement he felt with his new discovery was overriding all of his inhibitions for the moment.

With fresh and not so tired eyes, Hayato observed the treehouse once more. There were lots of little trinkets lying around and another larger table made of vines and branches. On that, Hayato noticed was a tray that looked like it had once been silver but oxidation had turned it green and brown in parts and it no longer had any lustre. On it were strange looking cubes and slabs of assorted colour, meaty and kind of gelatinous looking. The set was accompanied by leaves and berries that Hayato had never seen before either.

He walked up to the table to inspect the dish and frowned. While the efforts Takeshi had put in to making this look edible were worth gratitude, Hayato wasn't sure he was ready to delve into a new culinary experience.

"What is this?" Hayato asked, making a face.

"It's tuna belly," Takeshi said with a shrug. "And, this over here is a sprig of mint and these here are roe -"

"T-tuna belly? But - it looks weird. Is it... Raw?"

Takeshi looked at him, puzzled. "Well, yeah. How else would you eat it?"

Hayato took another look at the fish on the plate and pinched his nose. "You cook it."

"Haha, that's a funny sound. Here, let me try." Takeshi mimicked Hayato and pinched his own nose, it being a bit larger than Hayato's own. "Hey there, I'm Takeshi. Nice to meet you, Hayato of Olandria."

His voice came out high pitched and nasally and Hayato couldn't help but laugh a little. Takeshi laughed with him for a moment but then stopped and pushed the tray in Hayato's direction. "This isn't so bad, I promise. I eat it all the time."

Hayato snorted. "Well of course you do! You're a bird, aren't you? Don't they eat fish?"

"I resent that!" Takeshi chortled. "I am _not _a bird. Though... They're like our distant relative or something," he said with a comical wave of his hand.

Hayato sighed as his stomach growled. "Alright, I'll eat one. But if I get sick-"

"You aren't going to get sick. I promise. And if you do, I know a doctor."

"You know a doctor?" Hayato asked in disbelief.

"Well, he isn't a _human _doctor... but he treats the sick and makes them better just the same."

"Oh yeah?"

Takeshi quirked his mouth and scratched his cheek. "Although, you kind of have to do a lot of bribing if you want him to treat anyone that isn't a fair maiden, y'know? Like the faeries and the nymphs, he'll look at them no problem. He's uh... kinda picky, I guess. With the not so fairer species."

"He sounds like an old and dirty scoundrel," Hayato muttered with distaste.

Takeshi let out a bellowing laugh and clapped his hand down on his knee. "I like you, Hayato. Are all humans this funny?"

"No..." Hayato fell quiet, thinking that the humans he had known in his lifetime had no such sense of humour. And frankly, he didn't think he had any either.

Takeshi regarded him for a moment in silence and then nudged the plate towards Hayato. "You should eat."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Oh, that's right! You're a prince. My apologies, my -"

Hayato balled a small fist and raised it threateningly. "Hey, bird-brain... Are you looking for a fight?"

"Haha! No, no. I'm sorry! _Please _eat. How about that? I'm not telling, I'm asking. You can choose not to, then." Takeshi shrugged and looked away indifferently.

Hayato stared at the boy for a long time, not wanting to give in but he couldn't take the gnawing hunger any longer. He let out an insistent growl and picked up an orange-y pink blob. "This is... salmon, right?"

Takeshi looked back at him and nodded eagerly. "Have you had it before?"

Hayato eyed the piece of fish like it was something poisonous his stepsister had tried to force feed him. "Yes, but I've eaten it cooked. It's sort of flaky when you cook it."

Takeshi cocked his head to the side quizzically. "How do you _cook_ things?"

Hayato looked over at the Ravenite and smirked. "Maybe one day I'll show you," and he popped the bit of fish into his mouth.

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><p>Hayato had grown tired after his endeavours, after all he was only an eight year old boy. Eventually the adrenaline of a new adventure would wear him thin.<p>

The fish that Takeshi had prepared for him didn't taste terrible, he didn't really hate it that much. He felt satisfied and satiated. Takeshi had told him to stay with him and for the moment, Hayato had forgotten all about his mission.

Instead they talked about Hayato's love for creatures of the unknown and Takeshi excitedly told him of all the species that he knew. He told Hayato about his father and his clan until Hayato began yawning and Takeshi insisted he sleep.

He lay on Takeshi's makeshift bed with his eyes growing heavier by the moment. Takeshi sat beside him, stroking his hair. Hayato wasn't used to such affections anymore but he couldn't object because Takeshi's hand sifting through his hair felt strangely like his mother's.

"I don't know why you've come here," Takeshi said quietly, "but I promise I'll take care of you."

Hayato wanted to tell him _why _but he couldn't sum up the energy to open his mouth. Takeshi's fingers grazed lightly against his scalp lulling him to sleep and he had no choice but let it overwhelm him. For the first time in a long time, Hayato felt safe, like he was finally _home__._

Just before succumbing to slumber, Hayato felt a wisp of warm breath near his ear and the faint scent of earth and sun wafted under his nose. Then he heard the older boy whisper something in his ear that sounded a lot like, "_Hayato__, __can __I __keep __you__?_"

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><p>When the small child awoke the next morning, feeling warm and refreshed, he was surprised. He couldn't recall the last time he woke up feeling this way.<p>

He propped himself up on an elbow and surveyed the room but the Ravenite was nowhere in sight. Hayato felt a little anxious and peculiar all at once. He couldn't understand why he wanted the other boy's company as much as he did. Perhaps it was because he felt lonely or maybe it was because the bird-boy reminded him of his mother. Every time Takeshi smiled, Hayato thought of her. But he was scared of being left alone, being abandoned by his father and essentially his mother and treated cruely by the replacement family had left Hayato feeling insecure and raw. It was no wonder why he felt a need to attach himself to the raven.

He swung his legs out from under the wool and stilled when he saw white wrapping around them. He remembers his knees and legs being scraped and bloody and the eight year old boy who's too old for his own good has to fight a creeping bird-boy must have bandaged his injuries while he slept. As unusual as this should be and as aware and precarious _he _should feel that the Takeshi could be dangerous; he isn't. He feels warm and welcome here and Takeshi seems friendly and harmless.

He rose from the bed and walked outside. The forest looked bright and lush green with birds chirping and cawing. The sun shone high in the sky, it's rays filtered in through the foliage and sparkled on the stream down below the tree house. He took in a deep breath and exhaled and bounced back into the shack. He paused and first noticed the butterflies fluttering freely around the space. He took a moment and enjoyed the phenomenon, because with a closer look, Hayato discovers the creatures aren't ordinary butterflies like the ones he had seen in his mother's greenhouse back at the castle. These were the things that had been flittering around in the jar last night, glowing soft hues of the rainbow. And they weren't just butterflies, but some sort of swallowtail and firefly hybrid.

One landed on Hayato's snub nose and his mouth dropped open in wonder. He had no idea that in this moment, he was the closest to the epitome of everything pure and innocent this world had to offer. Just a boy, incorrupt and guileless. The world was a very big place, but here in this tiny little wooden shack is the beginning of Hayato's new life; a fresh start.

"Hey, you're awake!"

The sudden cheery voice startled Hayato and he jumped, causing the insect to flutter away and Hayato to scowl at the intrusive bird-boy swooping in.

"You're noisy," the silver haired boy grumbled.

Takeshi grinned at him. "What happened to that face I saw just a minute ago?"

Hayato's cheeks flushed and he stomped away. "Like I said, you're too noisy."

"Hey, are you hungry? C'mon, let's go get breakfast," Takeshi urged, his long fingers clasping around Hayato's thin wrist.

Hayato's eyes went wide. "H-how? How d-do we get d-down from here?"

"The same way we got up, of course! Haha." Takeshi's toothy smile radiated as he led Hayato out of the shack, despite the boy's unwillingness to go.

Hayato dug his heels into the floor but didn't struggle as much as he could have. He was scared and he knew what the older boy was implicating but at the same time he couldn't help but be excited. Except when they reached the railing and Hayato looked down, his heart abruptly suspended in animation and he caught his breath, clutching Takeshi's trousers.

"Hey," Takeshi said, smoothing out Hayato's hair. "It might be a little scary at first, but I promise you're gonna like it."

Hayato looked up at the boy and watched him stretch his wings and once again, Hayato was in awe.

Takeshi looked down at him and smiled fondly. "Are you ready?"

Hayato's heart pounded against his chest and anxiety rose from the pit of his stomach and spread like wild vines throughout his body. He could feel the panic but he could feel the anticipation too. He quickly nodded while his mind was screaming in disagreement.

Takeshi gave his hand a final squeeze and in one swift motion, he picked the small boy up and closed him into his chest. "Wrap your arms around my neck and don't let go, okay? Hold as tight as you need to."

Hayato felt his face warm for the nth time this morning already and he did as he was told. He tucked his head into the crook of the older boy's neck. He caught the faint scent of earth and sun again, the same scent from the night before. The smell that reminded him of warmth and _home__._

He cracked an eye open and reveled the Ravenite's wings up close. From afar they looked solid black, but here in the sun they glistened with an emerald sheen. They were gorgeous, rich and lustrous. The feathers overlapped flawlessly, thick and full.

Takeshi's arm wrapped around his small frame tightly and Hayato reached out a hand, his fingertips just shy of brushing the smooth looking plumes when he was jostled and he knew the older boy had just stepped up on to the railing surrounding the tree house. He jerked his hand away from Takeshi's wing and scrambled, his arms wrapping tightly around Takeshi's neck and his fingers finding purchase at the nape, clutching soft locks of Takeshi's coincidentally raven black hair.

The Ravenite let out a soft chuckle and squeezed, pressing his face to the glittering silver locks atop of the frail boy's head. "Don't let go," he whispered.

"Don't drop me," Hayato bit back with less acid then he had intended. It didn't help his voice was quivering like gelatin.

Takeshi was silent for a moment and then Hayato felt the rise and fall of his chest, heard the deep inhale and exhale. Hayato tried to calm the thudding of his heart in concert with Takeshi's steady breathing but before he could, Takeshi spoke.

"Don't worry. I'd never let you fall," he said with conviction. He leapt up in the air and plunged towards the ground.

Hayato felt his stomach lurch and flop and the wind burn through his hair. He squeezed his arms around Takeshi's neck tighter and the air in his lungs felt like they'd tear through the organs at any moment. And in this instance, Hayato so certain he will surely die.

And then the movement differs as Takeshi changes course, Hayato suddenly feels like he's floating. He hears the soft but strong flap of the Ravenite's wings break through the air and a hearty laugh erupt from the boy's throat.

"It's okay to look now... You don't wanna miss this view."

Hayato turned his head reluctantly and glared at the older boy. His gaze was focused straight out in front of him and his mouth was curled into the smallest glint of a smile. Takeshi turned his head as a ray of orange sun flanked his face. Hayato's mouth dropped open as the sunlight filtered through the Ravenite's eyes. It was the first instance that Hayato's been able to catch a clean glimpse at the creature's eyes and they were astounding. Caramel and chartreuse, clear and recherché like crystal coloured glass.

He smiled wide, crinkling the corners of those hazel eyes and tranquilty embraced Hayato, soothing and he wasn't so afraid anymore. He felt his weight become eerily weightless and he chanced a peek ever so cautiously at the scene below.

The rolling hills and open space below him gleamed in the morning light, like something polished and prestine, like an artist's rendition of an oil painted landscape. The pine trees stood tall and proud, their tips appearing sharp enough to pierce the unblemished sky. The river meandered through the valley and licked up winks of sun. Hayato let out a gleeful laugh when he saw shining silver fish flying across the banks.

"Are you scared?" asked Takeshi.

Hayato shook his head. He wasn't scared at all. The feeling of adrenaline, the sheer _enthrallment _of flying was breathtaking and it overwhelmed his senses, far too much for him to be afraid. And as the raven boy's arms encircled around him firmly, any creeping fear he might have had was dissipated. This feeling wasn't just excitement, it was exhilaration; something Hayato can say he's never felt in all of his eight years of being on this wonderous earth.

"Do you want to go higher?" the boy asked, his grin spreading wide across his face.

"Can we?" Hayato looked up at the clouds and wondered just how high he'd have to go to feel their mist seep through his fingers.

Takeshi laughed. "We can't go that high, not yet. Your little body won't be able to handle it."

Hayato frowned. With all his limitations being this young, this was the most disappointing.

"Maybe one day, when you grow up a little," Takeshi offered. He flapped his giant black wings a little harder and they soared through the air.

It felt amazing, the wind blowing through his hair and the sun's warmth tingling his skin. He wondered though, just how long he'd be able to stay with the raven before he was taken away from him too.

* * *

><p>Sprawled out on the padded leaf bed, Hayato fell into the beginnings of a much welcomed routine. The sun had set long ago and Takeshi was by his side, his hand carding through the younger boy's hair. It had been an eventful day, full of exciting discovery and Takeshi had shown him many things. There hadn't been time to warn him of his stepmother's plan and as much as he wanted to, Hayato had been having too much fun to damper it with such a serious matter. He knew he'd have to do it soon, before he lost out on this magical world, the one his late mother had loved so much. He didn't want to see these creatures harmed and it frightened him to think that Takeshi could get caught up in it all and that he'd have to return home to that dungeon of a kingdom, suffocating behind it's heavy stone walls. He didn't want to lose the only friend he had on this earth nor the chance at making new ones, or living the life his mother had wanted for him.<p>

But the burden was a heavy weight to carry on such small shoulders and it was wearing Hayato down. He would relish in the delights of this mystical kingdom for just a little longer before he had to bear news of war. Takeshi's soft grazing fingers along his scalp helped convince him that for the moment, he was doing the right thing.

"Is eight years old for a boy like you?" Takeshi asked suddenly. "Because you're smaller than most humans I see."

Hayato was too tired to retort with something acerbic. "I'm a boy... a child. A kid." He couldn't get any more straightforward.

"Ah," he responded. "You're a very smart child then. My father tells me most of humanity is not very smart and very narrow minded."

Hayato pondered that for a moment. From his experience, the only other person he's ever met that was brilliant at every angle was his mother. And though Takeshi didn't seem very bright himself, Hayato supposed he couldn't really blame him. It wasn't as if he had grown up with dozens of tutors fretting over him and a father insistent on his heir absorbing every fiber of knowledge he could cram into his growing mind. Takeshi seemed to have lived a rather simple life, and for some unknown reason, Hayato was glad. He may not be entirely wise for his young age but he's had to live through a lot that has matured him far beyond his years. It's made him weary and forget what it was like to be a child. But being here with Takeshi made him remember and what was best is that he was still young enough to enjoy it and not have to live through the Ravenite vicariously.

"It's true... what your father says," Hayato whispered. "There aren't many good people I've met. You've been around longer, can't you think of one person you've met that's been good? Human, I mean."

"I'm not very old either," Takeshi laughed. "I'm still a kid, I guess. In the eyes of my clan, anyways. And to answer your question... nope, not really. You're the first human I've met up close."_  
><em>

Hayato turned his head in bewilderment causing Takeshi's fingers to splay across his face. "Really?"

"Mhm." His fingers began combing through Hayato's hair again and the small boy found himself leaning in to the inviting sensation once more.

"Just how old are you anyway?"

Takeshi's hand paused and rested against his head. "I don't know, haha. We Ravenites age differently than the humans do."

"What do you mean?" Hayato asked, looking up at the boy again.

"Well... we age slower, I think? Everything in this forest does. It's like... Time doesn't really exist here."

Hayato mulled the words over in his head and smiled. "Or time moves exactly the way it should here," he said. "And I think the rest of the world has it messed up. The humans, they want everything to move at a fast pace. Hurry up and grow up, be quick to learn this skill and be on time for your appointments. Walk quickly when going from point a to point b, don't dawdle. They just want to hurry things along and for what? So that we may reach death quicker?"

Takeshi's mouth quirked as he appeared to be working the thought over in his feeble bird brain.

"I used to find my mother in her greenhouse - that's where the humans grow plants and flowers - and she would always smile at me and say 'Hayato, nature is beautiful. One should always stop and take the time to smell the roses.' I think... I think I understand what that means now."

Takeshi cocked his head to the side. "I'm not sure I get what that means."

A tiny and completely involuntary snort came from the small boy. "Of course you don't." He smiled subtly to himself, feeling his mother's light all around him. "It just means... to enjoy all that life has to offer. You really are a bird brain, you know."

"Haha! You're really smart, Hayato. And really funny."

"I'm not trying to be," the boy pouted. "You always think everything is funny."

"Well, laughing is good for you. Hasn't anyone ever taught you that?"

Hayato frowned. "Yeah... my mother did."

"Your mother sounds like a very nice human," Takeshi mused. "I'd like to meet her one day."

Hayato drew in a sharp breath. "You can't... She isn't alive anymore."

Takeshi's fingers curled gently in his hair. "Oh... I'm sorry... Is that why you ran away?"

"I didn't...! I... No. It isn't why I left. I left... because..."

The Ravenite looked down at him expectantly. "Because?"

There wasn't any way to beat around it now, even though Hayato was just about ready to sleep. He had to tell Takeshi so that he could warn the rest of the Namimori kingdom.

"My father... he married a woman who's one of those people we were talking about. The not so good kind. And she... she's planning on capturing as many beasts as she can so that she can use their magic to become the most powerful Queen in the land."

Takeshi's eyes rounded. "Is... is that bad?"

Hayato startled and propped himself up on his hands abruptly. He glared at the bird boy incredulously. "Is that bad? Of course it's bad, you bird brain!" he shouted, his voice shrill and thin. "My father's army is huge! With valiant knights that have been said to have slain dragons! Are you that dense? If they come-"

"Okay," Takeshi said simply.

"Okay?" Hayato echoed.

The Ravenite smiled broadly and wrapped an arm around Hayato's shoulders, pulling him into his chest. A disgruntled _oomph! _tumbled off Hayato's lips as he stared at the boy indignantly.

"Yup. It's gonna be okay. You don't have to worry about it."

"B-but -!"

"No buts, really. Little boys should sleep now, and not worry about grown up stuff," Takeshi teased with a grin.

Hayato scowled menacingly. "I hate you."

Takeshi laughed and laid the boy down on the bed, covering him with the tattered wool blanket. Hayato glowered angrily but allowed himself to be tucked in. After all, he was just an ordinary boy and not some diplomat between kingdoms.

"No you don't," the raven said pointedly, grinning as his hand resumed it's position in Hayato's hair.

As Takeshi's hand lead him into the land of slumber, Hayato had to admit that no, he really didn't.


	2. The Shoemaker & The Shrew

**II.**

**The Shoemaker and The Shrew**

* * *

><p>"We've got to hurry if we're going to make the shoemaker's before nightfall," the Ravenite urged, fluttering his wings. "Be careful."<p>

This was Hayato's third day spent in the forest and Takeshi had suggested he get new boots since he had lost one in the escape from the castle. Hayato followed him eagerly deeper into the forest, hopping from rock to rock embedded in the ravine.

"Say, Takeshi... Are there really shops here in the forest? Merchant shops... with _creatures _running them?"

The raven looked down at the boy and smiled. "Not in the forest, haha. Beyond the forest is a small little town where the merchant shops are located. We _creatures _don't live like wild animals you know!"

Hayato's tiny features pinched into a scowl. "I didn't mean it like that! It's just that... This... This whole place is _fascinating__!_"

Takeshi grinned and looked up to the sky. "It is pretty cool."

"Are there more birds like you?"

"Hm?"

"Bird-people. Are there more - like you?" Hayato stopped on a large flat rock, smoothed out by many years of river running over it. He looked up at the Ravenite with innocent curiosity dancing around in his green eyes.

Takeshi looked thoughtful for a moment, raising a finger and scratching at his cheek. "Mm, of course there are," he said after a moment. "A few, I guess."

"You're not sure?"

"Haha. It's not that I'm not sure, I just don't know a lot. There are Ravenites and Skylarks -"

"Skylarks?" Hayato began jumping again, enjoying the way the cool water trickled over his bare feet.

"Yup! They're kind of a strange race, though. They have funny hair and the leader of the main clan is a bit of a -"

"Is he mean?"

"Haha, yeah. He's pretty mean. Always wants to bite people to-"

"Bite people?" Hayato asked in horror, his head snapping back in Takeshi's direction. The sudden movement caused him to teeter on the surface of a jagged rock.

"Be careful!" Takeshi warned again. "They don't eat humans, don't worry. Hayato- look forward before you fall."

Hayato frowned but was relieved to know there were no man-eating creatures in the forest. Well, none that Takeshi had warned him against so far.

"What about your clan? Are there more of your kind? Come to think of it, I haven't seen _any _creatures out here."

"Ah... That's because we're far away from the inner kingdom. I live in the forest because it's quiet and peaceful here."

Hayato stopped again to look at the older boy in confusion. "But... isn't it lonely out here by yourself? Away from your mom and dad... Your family?"

Takeshi caught up to the boy and smiled fondly. "Are you lonely?"

"No- but that's because I hate it where I live. The people are mean and my father and - you're trying to avoid the subject. Why?"

The Ravenite laughed. "You're really smart, you know!"

"No, you're just not very smart. Bird brain," Hayato teased. "So, when can I meet your clan?"

"Well, you can't. They're on the other side of the forest. In the East."

"So why do you live so far away?"

"The sun is setting. We need to hurry... master Hayato."

"Don't call me that!" Hayato growled low in his throat and began hopping from rock to rock again, this time a little quicker in efforts to get away from the raven. He was frustrated because he wished the bird boy would just see him as an equal and not as royalty or a human and he was further annoyed at Takeshi's evasion of every question he seemed to ask about the raven's family.

"Sorry, I was teasing!" the Ravenite called. "Hey, Hayato! Slow down!"

It was suspicious, Hayato thought, as to why the boy was out here alone and even more suspicious now that he knew the Asari clan lived in the East, far away from Olandria and where the boys were right now. Perhaps Takeshi had run away too, but then Hayato thought there'd be no reason for the raven to dodge the question. So maybe he was exiled, because well - Takeshi didn't seem like an intelligent creature but then, maybe the Ravenites weren't an intellectual race.

_They say you can't have both brains and beauty, but they're wrong. Your mother is living proof of that. She is a gift from the gods, Hayato... just like you are._

He can still feel his father's hand ruffling his hair and the warmth from his kind smile and for a second, Hayato felt a genuine pang of loneliness. He bit his lip and searched for another rock to jump to. He spotted one a little further than his legs could reach and the surface was smaller but Takeshi's legs were longer and he was catching up.

Tears clouded his vision and he tried to shake the memory out of his head. Those were moments from long ago, once upon a time when his father was kind and his mother was alive and they lived happily in their kingdom.

Hayato sniffed and wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his hand. He wouldn't let the bird see him cry because then he'd never be more than a child; a wet behind the ears, good for nothing _baby _in Takeshi's eyes_. _He took his chances with the rock and leaped towards the centre of the ravine, which had gotten wider and deeper and wilder. Instantly the sharp shards of rock stabbed the pads of his feet, sending jolts of searing pain up his calves. There wasn't enough room for him to gain any traction, the surface was too uneven and wet, so Hayato slipped and -

"Hayato-!"

- he fell, plunging into the icy water. The white foam of the rapids engulfed him and dragged him deeper. Hayato instinctively opened his mouth to breathe but his lungs filled with water and his tiny frame was being swept up in the heavy current. He clawed at the surface, fear making the blood in his veins run colder than the river water. He watched the light streaming through the water above disappear as the current dragged him under and he closed his eyes so he didn't have to see anymore. That was the scary part. _Knowing _he was drowning. His lungs felt like they would explode and at the same time, his chest felt like there was a heavy pressure pressing against it and he _knew_ he was going to die.

Somehow that thought wasn't as scary when he thought he'd be reunited with his mother, when he'd be able to have her arms wrap around him and he could snuggle into her welcoming embrace. If he could wish on a shooting star, find a wishing well or genie or anything that would grant him just one wish, it would be to see his mother again. Then everything could go back to normal and he wouldn't be so sad. The creatures in the forest would be safe and maybe one day his mother would take him there and then he and Takeshi could have met under different circumstances.

As his vision darkened and he sank deeper, he could hear the faint sound of a voice far away and then there were arms around him. They were definitely warm and welcoming and the heat enveloped him, inviting him to relinquish consciousness because finally, Hayato was _home__._

* * *

><p>"My goodness, where did you find such a gorgeous looking creature?"<p>

"Haha, well... It's kind of a long story. Um... Thank you for letting me use the fire pit to warm him."

"Of course I'd let you. I couldn't let such a pretty little thing go to waste, all cold and pale and blue."

Hayato stirred, having heard the voices fade in as he woke. It was hot where he was but the heat blazing on his skin couldn't warm the bone deep chill that had set in. He coughed, wet and garbled and nearly choked on the water that sputtered out of his mouth. His lips felt numb and his head ached and he was suddenly aware of the compulsive shuddering that he couldn't seem to stop.

"Hah- Hayato!"

Hayato recognised the voice before he could turn. He was disappointed that it wasn't his mother's voice but it was Takeshi's voice and that made the boy relax a little. Relief and elation set in that he wasn't _dead _and that the Ravenite hadn't abandoned him and that helped cease the tremors that ran from head to toe.

The Ravenite was suddenly at his side, looming over him; his face worrisome and shadowed by the orange glow of the fire.

"You're okay," Takeshi whispered in an alleviated sigh. He placed his palm on the boy's forehead and frowned. "You still feel cold. Do you need another blanket?"

Hayato was partially mesmerised by the rich auric, honeyed eyes that stared down at him, searching and fretting therefore only hearing sounds instead of words until a voice he didn't recognise jarred him back to the moment.

"He is... a _human_ boy, isn't he?"

Takeshi looked like he was concentrating on something too because at the sound of the foreign voice, he jerked his hand from Hayato's head and turned sharply. "Haha... Yeah, he is," he admitted sheepishly.

Hayato rolled over on what he now noticed was some sort of bed made from hide and sheepskin. There was a man - what looked like a man - with some sort of dark looking monocles covering his eyes. He was smiling and not really threatening looking with a light green tuft of hair sprouting from the side of his head and red hair running down the centre. The man had pointed ears and horns that looked like a ram's. He was definitely odd looking and not entirely human, Hayato thought but when the horned man came around the around the craftman's table, Hayato's eyes went wide with marvel because the man had hindquarters and _hooves _just like a ram.

"W-whoa," Hayato croaked in awe.

The man folded his hands under his chin and shimmied with excitement. "It speaks! Takeshi, dear, get him something warmer. I'm waiting for my apprentice to get back with materials for clothing."

Hayato turned back to the Ravenite expectantly but his throat felt too raw and his stomach too queasy to speak.

Takeshi smiled and ran a hand over his damp hair. "I'll get you some more blankets."

He moved to get up, his wings folded messily against his back. The feathers weren't as full, they looked stringy and withered. Hayato remembers once, his father had knocked over a chalice of wine and it had spilled over a stack of papers and his quill pen. It had looked exactly as Takeshi's feathers do now, wet and sparse.

Hayato's stomach flopped and he reached out to wrap his small fingers around the Ravenite's wrist. His eyes held a plea he couldn't voice. He didn't have to be brilliant to understand what had happened and how he got here. Takeshi's wings were wet and useless because he had dived into the river in an effort to save him. And judging by the raven's dry and entirely new outfit only proved him right. Right now he wanted the other boy to stay close, for more reasons than just him being in a strange place.

Takeshi's features softened and chuckled softly. He sat down beside the smaller boy's head, just like he did when Hayato would sleep. "Okay, I'll stay."

"Why don't you get warm by the fire then, you should dry out your wings, boy." The half ram-half man handed Takeshi another blanket from a small room underneath clods of dirt lumped and packed together tightly to make something akin to stairs.

Hayato was in wonder as he looked around. The room he was in was underground, much different than Takeshi's tree house. It smelled earthy and damp but also of smoked wood and leather. On the walls, which also appeared to be made of mud, hung various tools, some looking shiny and new while others looked crude and barbaric. Behind him was a stone slab fire place that Takeshi had referred to as a 'fire pit' and an iron forged furnace that looked old and _very _heavy. There were three large tables made sturdier than the ones in Takeshi's home and each had stacks of materials and spools of thread. The table set deepest in the room had pale fabrics and lacy frills, brightly coloured thread and yarn and a jar full of knitting needles.

It then dawned on Hayato that they must be inside the shoemaker's shop and that Takeshi must have carried him here on foot the entire rest of the way since he hadn't been able to use his wings to fly.

He looked up at Takeshi appreciatively because the words he just couldn't say. There was always the question as to _why _the raven boy was so _nice_when Hayato had nothing to offer him. When Hayato was nothing but a stranger, the son of King and Queen who wanted to destroy their kingdom. And of course, there was that nagging voice telling him that it was all for negative reasons, that the Ravenite had _ulterior __motives _but somehow, Hayato found it very difficult to believe.

Takeshi then hooked his arms under Hayato and pulled him up, fitting the smaller boy in between his legs. He spread his wings and ruffled his feathers. Takeshi wrapped his arms around Hayato and pressed him into his chest and folded his wings over Hayato, shrouding him in soft and not at all scary darkness. Hayato watched as the feathers began to fluff out a little and his mouth dropped open. It was like watching magic happen right before his eyes, a sight Hayato could never tire of, even when the older boy was doing something rather embarrassing.

Embarrassed or not, Hayato moved into the raven, relishing in the warmth that always seemed to soothe him. His lids fell, heavy like stone and so he lay there, haphazardly tucked away under Takeshi's thick wings and wanting to reach out and just let his fingertips graze across them but he no longer had much energy to do anything other than sink deeper into the Ravenite's chest. He could hear a heart beat, rapid drumming resounding through the hollow cavity and he could feel the percussion thrumming through the skin. It was a nice sort of lullaby, maybe not as melodic as his mother's crystalline voice or as soft as the notes floating through the quiet night air from his mother's grand piano but it was beautiful just the same.

It sort of lulled him to a limbo between the land of dreams and this reality, where he listened - but not really - to the soft hum of Takeshi's breathing and to the ram-man's strange and saccharine voice.

"Tell me about this boy. Where did you _find _him?"

"Outside the forest, on the border between Olandria and Namimori."

"Olandria? What's this ch- oh... _Oh__._"

There was a pause before the ram-man spoke again, this time his voice was paper thin and wavering just slightly.

"He's not just a little lost boy... he's the King's son, isn't he?"

Hayato didn't hear an answer from Takeshi, but he felt movement in what he could only assume was a nod. He wanted to open his mouth and say something, tell the other man not to _fear _him because he wasn't like the King or the new Queen. He was just an ordinary boy that wanted to good, that wanted to help the creatures of this kingdom survive. Except he was still suffering from lethargy and a little shock, almost drowning is quite traumatic for a little boy. He was thawing out due to Takeshi's body heat and being sheathed in his wings but all he wanted to do was sleep, fade out into a dream that didn't make him think of the horrible and inevitable future or his torturous past.

"You must to return him!"

"I can't!" Takeshi protested.

"And why not? He's the King's _son__, _Olandria's _heir_. They will come, don't you understand that? And you won't get to keep your little _pet -_-"

Hayato cringed at the word, more so at the acidic tone the man used because it was so different from the sugary voice Hayato had already grown accustomed to.

He felt a rumbling low in Takeshi's chest, and something like a growl erupted from his throat. Hayato didn't know birds could make those kinds of sounds.

"He's not my _pet__,_" Takeshi snarled. "He's my _friend _and I promised to protect him, Lussuria!"

So the ram-man's name was Lussuria and Hayato wasn't sure what this man was trying to suggest but he definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of Takeshi's anger. It's unusual, Hayato hasn't ever heard the boy even raise his voice in a negative manner and it scared him just a little but he felt secure enough to believe that he'd never be harmed by the Ravenite. And hearing the boy call him a _friend_ created a brand new warmth that blossomed within his chest. It renewed the faith Hayato had in the boy, the _trust_he was willing to give without much of a trade.

"Oh? And just how far do you think you'll get on those words alone, pretty raven? Do you think the King will allow you-"

"He isn't going back," Takeshi said simply. "He doesn't want to and I will honour that."

Hayato, though he trusted the Ravenite, was unsure the ram-man Lussuria was someone he could trust. By the sound of it, he was afraid of the King and fear made people do all sorts of unreasonable things. The thought of it was unnerving, having to return to the castle and so he sought the security of the raven to ease the tension aching in his joints. He snuggled deeper into sanctity of his cocoon and resisted the urge to wrap his arms around the Ravenite the way he would embrace his mother.

Lussuria sighed. "Well I hope you know what you're doing because this will start another war -"

"Lussuria, please... Hayato is still a young boy and he doesn't need to hear all this." Takeshi welcomed the boy, shifting so that his wings hugged around his frame tighter, protecting him almost possessively.

Hayato would have argued that _n_o, he isn't a young boy; he's quite mature and cab understand the mechanics of war and he wants to be part of it. He came here to warn them, yes, but he also wanted to help _fight _for the cause. He wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn't just a mere _child__._

"_Oh... _you haven't told him yet, have you?"

Takeshi inhaled deeply. "I-"

"Lussuria, sir!"

Hayato's head jerked in the direction of the new voice, shrill and squeaky, a female this time. He couldn't see past the darkness of Takeshi's wings but he didn't really care to concern himself with this new stranger. He was instead irritated that she interrupted their conversation just when it was getting to the good part.

"Welcome back, dear! Have you got the materials?" asked Lussuria.

"Ah yes! I mana- hahi! Where did the young boy go?"

"He's safe, in here." Hayato could hear the smile in Takeshi's voice. His wings rustled and parted, creating a draft which instantly chilled the poor boy again. He turned to see a woman with dark brown hair and large brown eyes and _whiskers. _She looked a bit stunned, carrying a satchel of what Hayato assumed were the materials Lussuria had mentioned.

"Good eve, Miss Haru."

"Good eve, Takeshi sir!" The woman, Haru, bounced over to the Ravenite and knelt down in front of Hayato. She offered her hand to which Hayato took out of courtesy. They were warm and soft just like her eyes. At this distance, Hayato was able to see her features a little more clearly, as much as the dim lighting would allow. The small tip of her nose was pink, her whiskers were white and coarse looking. Her hair, swept up in a messy bun, revealed two large and rounded ears.

"Hi, this is Haru!" she exclaimed, jabbing a thumb at her chest. "What's your name?"

Hayato withdrew his hand and shrank back to Takeshi's chest, searching for his body heat that had helped keep him warm. "H-Ha-Hah-ayto," he said through chattering teeth.

"Takeshi sir! Get this boy another blanket!" Haru demanded. "He's freezing and his hand is like ice! Haru meant to say this earlier, but you have no experience looking after a child. And you, young man, should -"

"I'm fine," the boy interjected. "I'm not a ch-child that needs to buh-be-"

Takeshi laughed and draped an arm around Hayato. "She's right, I'm not any good at this."

"B-but-"

"But," Takeshi echoed, cutting him off, this time in a darker tone. "He's also very smart and doesn't need someone scolding him for something that wasn't his fault. He fell because he had no shoes and the rocks were slippery. And because I was chasing him."

"Hahi!" Haru squeaked. "That's dangerous! You should not be taking care of him. Why, you should leave him here! Haru can be a more proper mother for the boy."

"The child needs his _real _parents," Lussuria commented. He was working a piece of leather over a metal horn-looking object.

"With all do respect, Lussuria sir, Hayato can make his own decisions," Takeshi retorted. His arm became tighter around Hayato, pressing him harder into his chest.

The smaller boy began to relax once more, using Takeshi's body heat like a furnace to cure his perpetual chill. He scowled at Haru and at the ram-man, Lussuria. These people had no idea what he had to go through and had no idea that he was just fine on his own. And their persistence was getting rather annoying.

"He's Olandria's prince," Lussuria said under his breath.

Haru's eyes grew wide and she suddenly pulled back from the boy and the Ravenite, standing. "What have you done?" she gasped.

Takeshi jolted upright, to defend himself against such an accusation but Hayato grabbed onto his wrist once more. He didn't want to see the raven get angry and he didn't like that he was being blamed for something that Hayato was responsible for.

The Ravenite looked down at him regrettably and Hayato felt a panic rise in his chest. Did he agree with them? Had he finally realised he was more afraid of the King and he was going to send Hayato back where he belonged? _Abandon_ him, just like everyone else had?

"He didn't do anything!" Hayato shouted as he stood, coming to the raven's defense. "I ran away from home! I ran away to tell you all that the Queen is going kill all of you!" His chest heaved and his small hands balled at his sides.

"Hahi! Lussuria sir! Did you know about this?" asked Haru, shooting a fretful glance in his direction.

Hayato's breathing slowed and he began to shudder again, his wet clothes still clung to his body and his silver hair that framed his face now matted in tangles to the nape of his neck. He sat back down on the straw bed and drew his knees to his chest. He wasn't fond of either of these creatures, especially the lady that reminded him of a mouse.

"I had an idea," Lussuria said, now using a small heated poker made of iron to put holes in the leather. "When he told me who the boy was. Ravenites aren't ones to go looking for trouble."

"That's right," Takeshi urged. "I found him unconscious, hungry and dirty. I took care of him even after he told me who he was and why he was here. He doesn't want to go back there because he doesn't like it, and I don't want to make him. He may be small but he's really smart! He knows what's good for him."

Lussuria looked over at Hayato and smiled. "It's a pretty brave and noble thing to do, don't you think, Haru?"

"I... I guess so," the mouse-girl said. "But you should take better care of the poor boy. Just look at him, so small and frail. You should be more responsible. Letting him fall into a freezing cold river, honestly!"

"That's quite enough," Lussuria said cheerily. "Were you able to get materials? The poor boy is shivering and needs something to wear. I haven't got anything to fit him. Ah, now that I think of it, I haven't got any more garments at all. The Varia has been keeping us quite busy with those uniforms of theirs, always ripping and tearing from their violent activities. Those were the last items." He gestured towards the raven with the poker. "Which look absolutely stunning on such a young man," Lussuria gushed.

Takeshi frowned, ignoring the ram-man. "I'm really sorry, Hayato. I should have caught you."

Hayato shook his head. "It isn't your fault, bird brain."

"Hahi! Such a foul mouth for a little boy, and royalty at that!"

Hayato glared at the girl, angry at the woman's audacity to speak to him like that, even aside from him being a prince.

"Haru-"

"Haha, it's just a silly nickname," Takeshi defended.

"It doesn't matter! He's a prince! Haven't you been told to respect your elders, young man?"

"Shrew," Hayato muttered under his breath, ignoring the mouse-girl's lecture.

"H-how dare you!" Haru shrieked. "Lussuria sir, I can't work in this kind of environment. I guess it _is _true what they say about humans," she quipped haughtily, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's not true," Takeshi insisted. "Hayato's really nice." He came and sat next to the boy and dropped a hand on his shoulder. "You're shivering again. I should get more wood for the fire pit."

"Never mind all this," Lussuria chimed. "Haru, dear, get to work. And make this boy something special. I trust you were able enter the Garden of Lunenoir?"

"N-no. Don't leave me here with _them_," Hayato spat in a harsh whisper.

"But-"

"Please," Hayato ground out.

"Okay, I won't."

"Ah yes, Lussuria sir. I had a friend meet me at the gates with the Elven oxhide and goatskin. Will these be sufficient enough?"

"E-Elven oxhide and g-goatskin?!" Takeshi cried in surprise. "Lussuria, sir... I can't afford that. I've only brought twelve shillings with me, and I've already spent nine on Hayato's boots and my clothes. He doesn't need anything that fancy!" The raven laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

Hayato eyed him suspiciously and had no idea what shillings were, but they sounded like currency, nor did he know what was so special about the _Elven _fabrics that seemed to be so expensive.

"It's fine, it's fine," Lussuria said with a smile. He adjusted his dark monocles and pulled the materials out of Haru's satchel. "I'll do this as a favour for you, raven boy, but your father will owe me a pint of mead when he returns. How does that sound?"

Hayato watched the Ravenite shift uncomfortably but smile wide anyways. He forced out a laugh and the corners of his eyes crinkled. "Okay!"

"You should get some rest, prince of Olandria," Lussuria crooned.

Hayato wanted to argue but Takeshi's strong arms were already pulling him in and his wings were already enveloping him.

"Yes, sleep now," Takeshi said with a smile that was a lot more genuine than his laugh. Hayato would have to remember to ask him about that later. He was beginning to noice a pattern with the raven and that was whenever his family was mentioned, he became uneasy. And Hayato, though the raven owed him nothing, didn't like that Takeshi was hiding something from him.

* * *

><p>There had been what seemed like a long enough stretch in time, where Hayato had nearly dozed off several times but he forced himself awake each time. It had to have been long enough for the three creatures in the room to believe he was sleeping. He was curled up into a ball, fitted in between the raven's long legs and tucked away in his large wings. The heat from Takeshi's body was warmer than the heat emitting from the fireplace, and Hayato was comfortable enough to sleep, especially because there was minimal conversation between the three of them. Haru and Lussuria were busy working and Takeshi was silent for the most part and Hayato wished he could know what the raven was thinking.<p>

Which was exactly why, when Lussuria spoke next, Hayato was glad he had been pretending to sleep.

"How are things on the Eastern front?" Lussuria asked in a low voice.

Hayato wasn't sure who he was talking to because for a long moment, no one spoke. Then he heard and rather _felt, _being pressed against the raven's chest, a deep inhale and the pick up of his heart beat.

"Not good," Takeshi muttered, just as low. "I was told that the war is worsening and... our side isn't doing very well."

_War... in the East?_

"Well, how long is it going to take before the Varia helps out?" asked Haru.

"The Varia is doing what they can, Haru. You shouldn't speak of manners you know nothing about," Lussuria answered. Hayato wondered how Lussuria managed to make the rudest things sound so nice and figured it had something to do with his sunny disposition.

"M-my apologies," Haru replied quietly.

"There's no gaining the upper hand," Takeshi said. "Squalo says their army is quite powerful and that we don't have enough power to keep them from infiltrating the kingdom. They've already pushed past the border."

Hayato couldn't believe what he was hearing. There was war waging on the eastern side of the kingdom and the East is where Takeshi's clan lived... which meant they were caught up in the war. Maybe... maybe even dead.

The more Hayato thought about it, the more he began to understand. The uncomfortable fidgeting, the unwillingness to answer any questions about his family, Takeshi living in far on the outside of Namimori Kingdom - even the comment about Hayato being too young to hear about war - it all made sense now. It was quite possible that Takeshi's family was at war and that he had been sent West to avoid being caught up in it. And his reluctance to want to speak about it was perhaps because his clan might even be dead. Having lost his family, like Hayato, he must be really lonely. And maybe even frustrated that he too wasn't able to do anything about it.

It made Hayato feel guilty and sad for the Ravenite all at the same time. He felt the need to embrace Takeshi and tell him it was all going to be okay, but he felt like he'd be doing that more or less for his own benefit, because now that things were _real_, that there was impending possible death looming over their heads and no words of assurance were exchanged by anyone in the room, Hayato was undeniably frightened. After all, no matter how much he tried to deny it, or convince himself otherwise, Hayato was in fact only a mere child, too small for such a large scale universe.

"There's been a lot of casualties," Takeshi said, his voice thick with sorrow. "I just wish there was something I could do but they won't let me fight."

There was silence for a long time, and Hayato didn't know why. With no one saying anything more on the topic of war, Hayato began drifting off to sleep, listening to the hammering of Lussuria's hammer and Takeshi's heart. He hadn't noticed that his arms had slipped around the raven, his cheek pressed snugly against his chest because the only thing that ran through his mind was the silent vow to help Takeshi, because he wanted to fight too. And it wouldn't be much, but maybe the two of them could change the tide.

Lussuria broke the silence surreptitiously. "There is... something you can do."

"Really?" Takeshi asked eagerly, sudden light in his tone. "Tell me, I'll do anything."

"Lussuria, sir -"

"There is a quest..."

Hayato was unable to stay awake any longer to hear the rest of the excitingly promising conversation.


End file.
